Tears of Rage
by Mel1592
Summary: When Fraser dies trying to save Kowalski's life, the detective struggles to cope with the Mountie's death
1. Fallen Hero

"Drop it!" Ray Kowalski ordered, pointing his gun at the suspect  
  
emerging from the robbery scene. Seeking to avoid being caught, he  
  
ran, firing a couple of shots over his shoulder. Ray called for  
  
backup and he and Ben gave chase.  
  
.They had been back in Chicago for only about a week, and it felt  
  
good to be back in action. The suspect they were chasing was Richard  
  
Bower, who was wanted in connection with a string of robberies. Ray  
  
and Fraser had arrested him once before, several years ago, only to  
  
have him let go due to lack of evidence. Now, all the evidence was  
  
there, but the Chicago PD had been unable to catch him again.  
  
Bower fled down a side street and the cop and Mountie followed.  
  
Bower turned into an alley. The two men gave chase. They rounded the  
  
corner and saw...no one. Ray hurried to reload, his gaze flicking  
  
between his gun and the alley, as he and Fraser scanned the trash  
  
cans and piles of boxes for any sign of movement.  
  
"Look out!" Fraser shouted, just as two shots rang out in quick  
  
sucession.  
  
"Fraser, what the hell are you trying toâ€"" He stopped in mid-sentence  
  
as he realized that the Mountie had been shot.  
  
He shoved the chamber of his gun shut, even though he handn't fully  
  
reloaded it, and fired. One of the shots hit its mark, knocking the  
  
gun from Bower's hand. The suspect fled, but Ray couldn't follow. He  
  
turned back to the fallen Mountie.  
  
Fraser was alive, but barely. Ray unfastened the buttons of the  
  
scarlet tunic. The once white shirt underneath now bore a large  
  
splotch of crimson. He pulled the shirt to see a bullet wound near  
  
the center of the Mountie's chest. Ray pulled off his own shirt and  
  
pressed it over the wound, applying pressure to try and stop the  
  
bleeding.  
  
Behind him, the Riv pulled up to the entrance of the alley and Ray  
  
Vecchio got out. He'd heard Ray's call on the radio and responded as  
  
quickly as he could.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Ray looked over his shoulder and noticed Vecchio  
  
"Get on the line and get an ambulance now!" he answered.  
  
He lifted the Mountie's head with his free hand. Fraser's gaze was  
  
fixed on him, but he didn't speak. His breath came in ragged gasps.  
  
"They're on their way," Vecchio said. "How is he?"  
  
"Pretty bad", Ray answered. "It should have been me that got hit,"  
  
Ray said. "I was reloading and the guy fired at me. Fraser got me out  
  
of the way, but got hit himself. "  
  
  
  
Fraser gave a moan...it sounded vaguely to Ray like, "Mum...mum..."  
  
and gasped hard, his head and chest raising up a bit. As he sank back  
  
down, there was no rising of the chest, no more breaths, only the  
  
hiss of escaping air. 


	2. Aftermath

"Damn it!" Ray shouted. He lay the Mountie's head down and  
  
started CPR.  
  
Vecchio turned to the uniform officers on the scene. "Start  
  
looking. Check every street, every building in this area. Look  
  
anywhere he could've hidden. And someone get on the horn and get  
  
Huey and Dewey down here, now! "  
  
"One and two and three and four," Ray counted as he pumped  
  
Fraser's chest. He then lifted the Mountie's chin and blew a breath  
  
of air into his mouth. The chest rose, then fell. He started  
  
compressing again. He could hear the screech of the ambulance siren  
  
coming down the street. Shortly after, it arrived at the end of the  
  
alleyway, and the paramedics rushed to Fraser's side. Ray stepped  
  
back as they started revival efforts.  
  
One paramedic put an air mask on Fraser's face and pumped the  
  
balloonlike bag at the end, forcing air into the Mountie's lungs.  
  
The defibrillator was brought out. "Clear!" someone shouted and  
  
everyone stepped back. The shock jolted Fraser's body, but failed to  
  
restart his heart. The bag on the mask was pumped a few more times  
  
and another jolt was given. The process was repeated three, four,  
  
five times, but each attempt failed.  
  
As Ray watched the paramedics continue their efforts, he  
  
realized how impossible Fraser's dying seemed. Everything had been  
  
going so well lately. Ray didn't deny he'd thought Fraser was  
  
strange at first. It hadn't exactly been easy learning to live with a  
  
real life Dudley Do-Right who wouldn't swear, gamble or even carry a  
  
gun. And then there was the tasting things and the red suit and the  
  
constant politeness. But, once Ray got past all the oddities and  
  
quirks, he'd learned to like Fraser. A bond of sorts had been formed  
  
during all those months searching for the Hand of Franklin with only  
  
each other for companions.  
  
Ray's thoughts were interrupted as Vecchio nudged him to get  
  
him to pay attention to the paramedic who was trying to talk to them.  
  
"We've been unable to restart his heart," the paramedic said to  
  
the detectives. "We've defibrillated six times. And we were told he  
  
hasn't been breathing for several minutes now, so, even though we've  
  
been forcing air into his lungs, the amount of oxygen he was getting  
  
wouldn't have been enough to keep body tissues from beginning to die.  
  
I'm sorry. "  
  
"I understand", Ray answered.  
  
Just as Ray finished talking to the paramedic, Huey and Dewey  
  
arrived on the scene. "What've we got?" Huey asked. Ray stepped  
  
aside, and Huey saw the body.  
  
"Dead?" he asked.  
  
Ray nodded. "You remember the Bower case? Fraser and I got a  
  
call of an armed robbery and we thought we had him this time. It was  
  
me he was shooting at, but Fraser shoved me out of the way."  
  
"I can't believe he's dead again," Dewey said. "This'll be the  
  
first time I ever went to someone's funeral twice."  
  
Ray shot Dewey an angry glare. "Bastard," he muttered softly.  
  
Dewey gave a sort of gasp, and Ray thought he might yell or  
  
something, but Huey stopped him. " Keep quiet," he said to his  
  
partner. "He's already angry and your comments aren't helping"  
  
"I can't believe it's real this time around," Ray  
  
answered. "And not some kind of trance thing like the last time. Will  
  
you two see what you can come up with here? Vecchio and I want to  
  
join the search."  
  
"We'll handle it," Huey answered.  
  
The two Rays walked back to their cars. Vecchio had pulled up  
  
just outside of the alley, but Ray K's was down by the side street  
  
where the chase had begun. When Ray rounded the corner from the alley  
  
to the first street, he saw Diefenbaker trotting toward him. "Come  
  
on," he said absentmindedly, forgetting that the wolf was  
  
deaf. "You're coming with me. Oh geez, now I'm having a conversation  
  
with the wolf again." Dief followed slowly and Ray walked back to  
  
where he'd parked the car. But when he came to where the GTO had  
  
been, it was gone.  
  
"Damn!" he sputtered as he looked for the Riv to come around the  
  
corner. He motioned Vecchio to stop and walked over to the car. "Can  
  
I ride with you?" he asked.  
  
"Stolen?" Vecchio asked.  
  
"Yes, and I know damn well who it was."  
  
Vecchio opened the passenger side door and Ray allowed Dief to  
  
climb in back, then slid into the front seat.  
  
"Go ahead and radio it in," Vecchio said, nodding toward the  
  
radio. "I'll keep looking."  
  
Ray called in a description of the stolen car, along with his  
  
license plate numbers.  
  
"You know he's not going to keep it long" Vecchio said.  
  
"A car like that?" Ray answered. "No. I think he just wanted a  
  
quick way out of there. It'd be too conspicuous to drive around for  
  
long. I mean, how many cars like that do you think there are in this  
  
city? I figure he'll probably try to get money off of it and…look,  
  
there!"  
  
His thought was interrupted as the GTO pulled around the corner  
  
and was now in front of the Riv. Vecchio pulled up a bit closer  
  
before anyone could get between the two cars, and Ray glanced at the  
  
plate.  
  
"That's it," he said.  
  
Vecchio radioed that they were in pursuit of the stolen car,  
  
quickly set the Riv's portable flasher on the roof, and gave chase.  
  
TBC 


	3. The Chase

Several patrol units radioed back in response to Vecchio's  
  
call, saying that they were in the area and could help with the  
  
chase. The units caught up to the GTO and began to box it in,  
  
positioning themselves in front of and alongside it, with several  
  
more joining behind the Riv. Ray winced a bit as he saw Bower begin  
  
to ram the squad cars, denting and damaging the GTO's front end.  
  
One of the units bumped the right side of the GTO and Bower lost  
  
control, barely missing a telephone pole before skidding into a  
  
parked car. He attempted to flee, but the uniformed officers quickly  
  
surrounded him and took him into custody. The two Rays got out,  
  
walked as far into the throng of officers as they could, and watched  
  
as he was handcuffed and led to one of the cars.  
  
Just as he was being placed into the car, he turned to look  
  
at Ray. "If you think you've heard the last of me, you're wrong,  
  
Vecchio!"  
  
Vecchio gave Ray a confused look. "What the hell was that  
  
about?"  
  
"I arrested him before--back when you were in Vegas," Ray answered. "  
  
He thinks I'm  
  
you."  
  
Ray walked over to his now sad looking GTO. As he surveyed the  
  
damage, he realized why Vecchio had gotten so upset the several times  
  
his own car had been destroyed. As he glanced into the window,  
  
something caught his eye. Lying on the passenger seat, where it had  
  
fallen during the crash was Fraser's Stetson, which the Mountie had  
  
failed to put on before he and Ray began the chase that ultimately  
  
ended Fraser's life. It seemed to Ray that every time Fraser parted  
  
with that hat, something happened, and the trend seemed to have  
  
continued that day.  
  
Ray tried to open the GTO's passenger door but it was jammed  
  
because of damage sustained during the crash. He opened the  
  
undamaged back door, reached around into the front seat and picked up  
  
the hat. Vecchio walked up behind him just as he closed the door.  
  
"I don't know what it is about this thing," Ray said,  
  
examining the hat. "Every time Fraser lost it, something happened."  
  
"I know," Vecchio answered. "I can remember him being stabbed  
  
once when he wasn't wearing it…. And then I shot him accidentally  
  
when he was going to go with Victoria. And  
  
After Ray had shown one of the officers the necessary papers  
  
and information on the GTO, they walked back to the Riv. Vecchio got  
  
on the radio and informed Huey, Dewey and the rest of the searching  
  
units that the suspect was in custody.  
  
Ray noticed that Dief was becoming more and more agitated in  
  
the backseat. Thinking he probably wanted to relieve himself, or  
  
perhaps he was just getting tired of being in the car, got out and  
  
let Dief out, and stood outside to keep an eye on him. Dief began to  
  
sniff and follow a scent, leading right toward the car where Bower  
  
was being held.  
  
The wolf stood by the car for a moment, then reared up and  
  
put his forelegs on the door. He sniffed for a moment, then began to  
  
snarl angrily.  
  
Bower looked at the wolf warily, then yelled at Ray, "Get him away  
  
from me. . . . I'll sue if he bites me."  
  
Ray realized what was going on and made his way over to the car as  
  
quickly as possible. He tried to restrain Dief, wrapping his arms  
  
around the wolf's belly and trying to pull him back. As he did, he  
  
caught a glimpse of Dief's eyes. Ray had never thought that dogs  
  
could feel anger or want to exact revenge, but there was clearly  
  
anger in the wolf's eyes. He wanted to avenge his friend's death.  
  
Ray didn't blame him, as he wished he could do the same thing at the  
  
moment. Dief strained and struggled, and Ray's strength was not  
  
enough to hold him back. Vecchio came to help, but even the two of  
  
them had an exhausting struggle trying to keep the wolf under  
  
control.  
  
Ray glanced at Bower. "He remembers what you did to Fraser"…  
  
I'll try my best to keep him away, but I wouldn't blame him if he did  
  
bite you."  
  
Once Dief was finally back in the car, the two detectives drove back  
  
to the station, where there was still more to be done. Paperwork, and  
  
lots of it, had to be started. Later, there would be the shooting  
  
board that was necessary every time an officer fired his weapon  
  
outside the practice range. Luckily for Ray, this would not take  
  
place until the next day. And both Rays would have to be questioned  
  
and give statements the next morning also.  
  
The detectives headed down toward the interrogation room,  
  
where Bower was going to be questioned. Welsh intercepted them in the  
  
hall.  
  
" Will Vecchio and I be allowed to do the questioning?" Ray asked.  
  
"No," Welsh answered. "For one, the normal protocol is for the  
  
arresting officers to do it, and two, you two are stressed enough  
  
over Fraser's death. Letting you question the guy that killed him  
  
will only make the both of you angrier, and cause someone to lose  
  
control and if that happens, someone will get hurt."  
  
"But—" Ray started.  
  
"You're to stay out of this, both of you, do you understand?  
  
This case is already getting some media attention, and the last thing  
  
I need is an excessive force case on my hands. When one of my  
  
officers gets into something like that, the whole Chicago PD feels  
  
the effects. Just let someone else handle it. Am I clear?"  
  
"Yes," answered both detectives.  
  
Ray struggled to concentrate on his reports, but it was a difficult  
  
task. Scenes of the past few hours' events kept replaying themselves  
  
in his mind. Francesca was sobbing and crying, just as Welsh  
  
indicated she'd been doing ever since she learned of Fraser's death.  
  
As Ray tried to tune it out, he became glad he wasn't in Vecchio's  
  
shoes and didn't have to listen to that all night. Adding even more  
  
distraction for Ray was that Dief kept trying to get to Bower in the  
  
holding cells and to Fraser's body downstairs in the morgue.  
  
Ray shoved the paperwork into a file folder, took a long  
  
drink from the now warm can of pop on his desk, and silently waited  
  
for Vecchio to finish his work so they could finally go home for the  
  
night. 


	4. The Visitor

Title: Tears of Rage 4/?  
  
Rated: PG  
  
Spoilers: DMDTR, minor for various other eps  
  
Parings: None  
  
Teaser: When Fraser is killed while saving Ray K's life, the  
  
detective struggles to cope with the Mountie's death  
  
  
  
The ride home was very quiet. Ray could tell by looking at  
  
Vecchio's face that he wasn't the only one who felt as if he'd lost a  
  
brother. He knew that the other detective was just as upset and just  
  
as angry as he was at the moment.  
  
Vecchio had been just as close to Fraser as he had been. He was the  
  
one who had befriended Fraser when the Mountie had first come to  
  
Chicago. Vecchio had also taken a bullet for Fraser, to prevent him  
  
from being shot by Muldoon. Ray had always wondered what he would  
  
have done under the same circumstances. He'd always said he'd never  
  
risk his neck for anyone, but as he and Fraser had grown closer, he'd  
  
begun to think that he would have risked his life for the Mountie if  
  
necessary  
  
Ray shook his head."What a day."  
  
"I know," Vecchio answered. "But this isn't the worst of it. You'll  
  
feel it worse tomorrow."  
  
"Yeah," Ray answered. "It's like, we're in shock and it hasn't really  
  
hit yet." He paused a moment, then continued, "But, I guess if he had  
  
to go, at least it was in the line of duty. That's how he'd have  
  
wanted it I think."  
  
"Still, it was senseless," Vecchio answered. "Young man, full of  
  
life, now he's gone. He never had the chance to grow old, have a  
  
family. I used to think that maybe he and the inspector had something  
  
going. He'd never have admitted it, but maybe. Now we'll never know."  
  
"I wouldn't hesitate to say I loved him," Ray added.  
  
Vecchio gave him a kind of `are you crazy `look.  
  
"I don't mean I'm gay or anything….You know, friendship love.  
  
Vecchio nodded. "I'd have to agree with that. I don't know what it  
  
was that was there, really, but it was something, that's for sure."  
  
They reached the apartment, and Ray got out. When he got inside, he  
  
took off his coat and set it and Fraser's Stetson down on the couch.  
  
Next, he took the precaution of moving the turtle to the bedroom to  
  
keep it away from Dief.  
  
As he finished with the turtle, he happened to glance at the  
  
dreamcatcher, which was hanging in the bedroom window. He'd never  
  
thought there'd been anything to Fraser's mumbo-jumbo about it having  
  
magical powers, but it had helped him get over the ghosts of his  
  
teenage embarrassment in front of Stella.  
  
He took the dreamcatcher from the window and walked back into the  
  
living room holding it. He sat down exhaustedly on the couch and Dief  
  
jumped up next to him. As the wolf lay down, Ray picked up Fraser's  
  
Stetson with one hand while still holding the dreamcatcher in the  
  
other.  
  
Ray had never been one to cry very much. He had a brasher, tough guy  
  
image but, at the moment, he couldn't control his pent-up emotions  
  
any longer and he wasn't even sure he wanted to. He was finally alone  
  
and could finally begin to vent his feelings. Tears began to roll  
  
down his cheeks and he began to sob. A few moments later, his cry was  
  
joined by a low, sad-sounding howl and both man and wolf began to  
  
mourn their lost friend.  
  
As he continued crying, memories flooded back. The hectic first  
  
meeting when it had taken all day for Fraser to figure out who this  
  
new 'Vecchio' was. Fraser pretending he was dead. Fraser giving him  
  
asylum in the Canadian Consulate. Fraser blasting them out of that  
  
sinking ship after they almost drowned. It had been then that he felt  
  
he'd truly began to trust Fraser and that Fraser had begun to trust  
  
him.  
  
  
  
His thoughts turned to all those months in the Arctic searching for  
  
the Hand of Franklin. Ray couldn't count how many times one of them  
  
had helped the other out of some bind out in the wilderness.  
  
Slowly, Ray's exhausted body began to betray him. He didn't want to  
  
sleep, for fear he'd have nightmares. But his body needed sleep and  
  
he began to drift off. Before long, he was in a light, fitful sleep,  
  
still holding the dreamcatcher in his hands.  
  
"Ray! Ray!" The voice was sudden and startled him. When he didn't  
  
answer, it continued. "Ray, Ray, Ray!"  
  
Ray opened his eyes and blinked a few times. He could see a figure  
  
standing before him in the dimly lit room. He peered into the  
  
darkness and was barely able to make out what appeared to be Fraser. 


	5. The Ghost Mountie

"I'm seeing things," Ray said, unable to take his eyes off of the  
  
red serge clad figure, "Either that or it's a dream."  
  
  
  
"B. . . but you're supposed to be dead," Ray stammered.  
  
"I am."  
  
"But, I thought ghosts were just fiction…you know, not real. I mean,  
  
what is this, `The Sixth Sense'? `I see dead people'?"  
  
Fraser sat down on the couch between Ray and Dief. The wolf sniffed  
  
and whined a bit and Fraser reached out a hand to pat him. "More  
  
people see ghosts than you might think, Ray. For example, my father  
  
visited me all the time when I was alive. Remember when you would  
  
find me in the closet `talking to myself'?  
  
"Yes, I thought you were just crazy."  
  
"That's when I was talking to him."  
  
Ray stood, a bit shakily, and walked into the kitchen. He went to the  
  
refrigerator and took out a beer. He wasn't the type to drink a lot  
  
but he thought it might calm his nerves. He then went back into the  
  
living room, sat on the couch and took a long swig. "So what's it  
  
like being dead? Can you just like come around whenever? Do you still  
  
have to eat and sleep and all that?"  
  
" I don't really know, Ray. I've only been dead a few hours. Even my  
  
father doesn't know all the answers and he's been dead six years."  
  
Fraser glanced at the couch and noticed his Stetson. "I was wondering  
  
where this went," he said, picking it up and placing it on his  
  
head. "It's really embarrassing to be in uniform without it. You  
  
know, they had to cut off the back of my father's Stetson so he'd lie  
  
flat in his coffin. They'll probably do it to me too. That's why it's  
  
good to have a spare."  
  
"Well, is this a one time thing or will you, uh, visit, again? And,  
  
am I the only one that can see you? Or do you know that yet?"  
  
"No, I'll come again. And as for who can see me, so far just you, Ray  
  
Vecchio and my sister. I just came from Ray's place."  
  
"I'll bet he freaked out as much as I did."  
  
"Surprisingly, no. He thought I was his father at first because  
  
apparently I'm not the only one whose father visits him. But then he  
  
realized it was me and did have a bit of a fright, but he calmed down  
  
fairly quickly."  
  
Ray yawned and set the beer can down on the coffee table. He was  
  
trying to avoid falling asleep but he hadn't had much rest since the  
  
day before.  
  
"I'll just be going now," Fraser said.  
  
Ray saw that the Mountie was beginning to fade. "So, I'll be seeing  
  
you again? I hope."  
  
"I'll be back," Fraser answered. "You didn't think someone like me  
  
could stay away and never come back did you?"  
  
"No, not really," Ray answered.  
  
As the Mountie disappeared, Ray took one last sip of the beer and set  
  
it and the dreamcatcher down on the table. He shooed Dief off the  
  
couch and lay down. Dief sniffed around for a few seconds, then lay  
  
down by the couch. Ray lay awake for quite a while, tossing and  
  
turning and wondering if what he'd seen was real or a dream  
  
When he awoke the next morning, he was still trying to make sense of  
  
it all. He glanced at the table and then the couch and noticed that,  
  
although the dreamcatcher sat where he'd placed it earlier, the  
  
Stetson was nowhere to be found. He also noticed the almost empty  
  
beer can still on the table. As he went into the bedroom to change  
  
clothes and get ready for Fraser's funeral, which was to be held that  
  
day, he realized that the whole thing was, indeed, real. 


	6. The Funeral

if this posts twice, this computer is being an idiot.Sorry.  
  
  
  
Title: Tears Of Rage 6/10?  
  
Rated: PG  
  
Spoilers: minors for various eps  
  
Teaser: When Fraser is killed while saving Ray K's life, the  
  
detective struggles to cope with the Mountie's death.  
  
  
  
Ray tugged uncomfortably at the collar of his dress uniform as  
  
checked his appearance in the Riv's side view mirror. "I could never  
  
wear this thing all the time," he muttered as smoothed the uniform  
  
and adjusted his hat. "We detectives never realize how good we have  
  
it until we have to put these on." He glanced at Vecchio. "You're  
  
awfully quiet. Are you holding up all right?"  
  
"As good as can be expected," Vecchio answered.  
  
"I just want to get this done and get out of there," Ray  
  
sighed. "Funerals give me the creeps."  
  
"You think you've got it bad," said a voice from behind them. "It's  
  
nothing compared to watching your own funeral."  
  
"Do you mind?" both men asked in unison.  
  
"You mean you can…?" Ray trailed off.  
  
"Yes," Vecchio answered.  
  
"Thank God, I thought I was losing it," Ray said, a bit of relief in  
  
his voice.  
  
"I thought I was losing it," Vecchio said. "I mean, it's not every  
  
night you find a dead Mountie in your bedroom." (note: I got my rays  
  
mixed up here, hence the living room thing in the last draft. It  
  
should be ok now.  
  
  
  
Ray turned back to Fraser. "You're actually going to your own  
  
funeral?"  
  
"I don't see why not," Fraser answered. "I mean, who's going to see  
  
me besides you two and Dief?"  
  
"Just keep quiet during it, all right?" Ray asked. "I don't want  
  
strange looks in my direction. If I start talking to myself, I'm  
  
liable to end up paying a visit to the force psychiatrist."  
  
They reached St. Michael's and went inside. As Ray looked around, he  
  
noticed quite a few familiar faces and some unfamiliar ones as well.  
  
Welsh and Inspector Thatcher sat in the front row. Both were quiet  
  
and reserved. Constable Turnbull sat a few rows behind them, sobbing  
  
loudly just as he had the last time he thought Fraser was dead. Huey  
  
and Dewey sat in the same row as Turnbull, quiet, but occasionally  
  
talking to each other. Elaine was crying quietly and talking with  
  
some other uniformed officers whom Ray didn't recongize. Mort sat a  
  
little further toward the back. Frannie, Mrs. Vecchio, and the rest  
  
of the Vecchios were in the row just behind Turnbull and the Duck  
  
Boys. Frannie was sobbing, just like last time, and Ma was trying to  
  
comfort her.  
  
Before sitting down, the Rays went up to see Fraser. Everything  
  
looked very much as it had that time before, but Fraser wasn't  
  
wearing that yellow belt this time. Ray noticed that what Fraser had  
  
said was true. The back of the Stetson had been cut off.  
  
"I think they did a good job," Vecchio said. "He looks very natural."  
  
"Yes, he does," Ray answered, trying his best not to get sick, as he  
  
usually did around dead bodies. "You know, this is strange, going to  
  
his funeral again."  
  
"I heard about that case, but I'm glad I wasn't there. I understand  
  
what you mean though."  
  
Yes, Ray thought, it was a strange déjà vu. It still seemed  
  
impossible that it was real this time. He half expected to see Fraser  
  
sit up in the coffin again. But, he knew it wasn't going to happen  
  
this time.  
  
The service started, and before long, it was time for the eulogies.  
  
Lt. Welsh talked of how he considered Fraser one of his own men even  
  
though he wasn't a member of the Chicago PD. Inspector Thatcher  
  
described how, even though she always said she disliked Fraser, and  
  
always seem to be arguing with him, deep inside, she'd begun to like  
  
him. Some of Ray Vecchio's thoughts almost mirrored Ray's own.  
  
Vecchio spoke of his friendship with the Mountie and of how terrible  
  
he'd felt when he'd almost killed him on the platform at Union  
  
Station. He also spoke of the long stint away in Vegas and how much  
  
he'd missed the Mountie. He talked of his thoughts the day he'd come  
  
out from undercover and had opened the door of the apartment to find  
  
the Mountie, and had then had to fight his emotions at seeing his  
  
best friend again.  
  
Soon, it was Ray's turn. He approached the lectern, tugging on his  
  
collar a time or two. It was a nervous habit he'd picked up from the  
  
Mountie.  
  
"Constable Fraser was one of the best men the Chicago PD ever had. He  
  
wasn't an official member of the force, but he was just as much a  
  
part of the force as any officer here. When I first met him five  
  
years ago, I had no idea how close we would become. I wasn't even  
  
sure what to think of him at first, but as time passed, we became  
  
friends. I'll admit, I didn't quite trust him at first but we did  
  
learn to work together.  
  
"Most police officers do become friends with their partners, it's one  
  
of those things that has to happen if they're to work together  
  
efficiently, but I can honestly say I don't think many of them become  
  
as close as Fraser and I did. He was willing to give his life to save  
  
mine, and I'll never forget that. I only regret that I didn't have  
  
the chance to thank him. I'm not even sure I would have known how to  
  
thank him." Ray looked up briefly to exchange a glance and a nod with  
  
Fraser who nodded back.  
  
  
  
It is fitting, though, that he died doing the work he loved and that  
  
he had dedicated his life to. I think that all of us at the Chicago  
  
PD who knew him have been very saddened by his senseless death. He  
  
will be greatly missed by all that knew him. Thank you."  
  
Ray walked back and sat down. His mind wandered on and off during the  
  
rest of the service, but he managed to pay attention most of the  
  
time.  
  
"…Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of  
  
everlasting piece, and the glorious company of the saints in light"  
  
Fr. Behan said, finishing the closing prayer as Ray's mind came back  
  
to the present. he congregation responded "Amen"  
  
Ray, Welsh, Vecchio, Huey, Duey and Inspector Thatcher served as the  
  
pallbearers and moved the coffin from the church to the hearse after  
  
the service was over. The body would now be taken back to the  
  
Northwest Territories and Fraser would be buried next to his parents.  
  
As they finished, Welsh's cell phone rang.  
  
Ray started back toward the Riv, along with Vecchio and Dief, but  
  
Welsh stopped them.  
  
"We've got problems. Bower's out. He overpowered the officer who was  
  
taking him to lockup at Cook County and got away."  
  
Ray's mind traveled back to Bower's words "If you think you've heard  
  
the last of me you're wrong, Vecchio!"  
  
Vecchio answered for both of them."Ok…We'll get on it. Can the  
  
officer who was transporting him give any information?"  
  
" He's dead. But, there were a couple of witnesses that are being  
  
interviewed right now so you can get some specifics when you get to  
  
the station."  
  
Ray turned back toward the coffin, which was still visible in the  
  
open door of the hearse. "I'll get him, buddy, I'll get him for you." 


	7. Confrontation

"Have you finished interviewing those witnesses?" Ray asked.  
  
"Yeah." Vecchio answered.  
  
"All of them?"  
  
"Yes, all of them! But I got nothing we didn't already know."  
  
"Nobody saw anything? Nobody even heard anything?"  
  
"Didn't I just say that?" Vecchio asked angrily. "You don't listen  
  
to me. Why don't you listen to me? Sometimes you're as bad as the  
  
Mountie!" He shook his head. "What about your end of it? Have you had  
  
any success interviewing the businesses and homeowners?"  
  
"I haven't done any better than you have."  
  
Before either one could say anything else, they were interrupted by  
  
Welsh. "I'd like to see both of you for a moment," he said,  
  
motioning to both Ray and Vecchio.  
  
Both Rays complied and came in the office, still exchanging angry  
  
glares at each other. Ray knew that Welsh must have heard the  
  
argument and that both of them were probably going to be yelled at.  
  
He didn't make eye contact with Welsh for a long moment, and neither  
  
did Vecchio.  
  
"What is it?" Ray asked.  
  
"I know this case has a lot of personal meaning for both of you, but  
  
I don't like the way you're both exhausting yourselves day after day.  
  
I appreciate your willingness to keep searching, but don't overdo it.  
  
Got that?"  
  
"Yes. I'm only pushing myself so hard because I made a promise to  
  
myself and Fraser that I'd bring this guy in and I'm gonna do it. If  
  
I don't, he may also try to kill me."  
  
"Or me." Vecchio spoke up. "He said `Vecchio…' I don't really know  
  
who he's after, so we may both be in danger. I just want him off the  
  
streets."  
  
  
  
"I can place some protection on you…" Welsh began.  
  
"No, that's all right, thank you." Kowalski answered. Vecchio nodded  
  
at the same time.  
  
"You're sure?"  
  
"Yes, I'm sure," Both men answered at once.  
  
"You two are acting as partners on this case, I'm sure I don't need  
  
to remind you of that. I don't need you arguing."  
  
"I understand," Ray said, but inwardly he felt differently. He didn't  
  
want another partner. He still considered Fraser his partner, but he  
  
knew if he brought it up Welsh wouldn't buy it.  
  
"Dismissed, gentlemen. Just don't forget what I said. Don't push  
  
yourselves beyond your limits. We will get him. I want both of you to  
  
knock off for the day."  
  
"Understood." Ray answered.  
  
  
  
Vecchio and Ray did a little more searching and then drove toward  
  
Ray's apartment. Ray noticed that Dief was acting a bit nervous, but  
  
didn't think much of it. The wolf glanced nervously about and kept  
  
looking out the back window.  
  
Upon arriving at the Ray stepped out of the Riv and pushed the front  
  
seat forward, allowing Dief to jump out. He walked into his apartment  
  
building and up the stairs to the apartment as Vecchio drove away.  
  
  
  
As he opened the apartment door, something pushed against him,  
  
shoving him inside. He looked over his shoulder to see what was going  
  
on. He immediately recognized his assailant.  
  
"You." Ray growled  
  
"I told you I wasn't through yet --."  
  
  
  
Before Bower could say anything else, Dief lunged, snarling. The  
  
impact knocked Bower off his feet, and as he fell toward the ground,  
  
he squeezed the trigger.  
  
  
  
Ray was forced to his knees, then to the ground as a sharp pain  
  
ripped through his stomach and chest. The bullet had slammed into the  
  
left side of his upper abdomen. He tried to breathe, but each breath  
  
was a painful struggle. He gasped for air that just didn't seem to  
  
want to come. He reached for his cell phone and dialed the police  
  
department.  
  
  
  
"Detective Kowalski. . ." he rasped. ". . .Shots fired. . .officer  
  
down." He glanced at the now motionless Bower and the wolf on top of  
  
him. "Suspect status unknown," he added, then struggled to relay his  
  
address, He couldn't speak anymore. It was just too painful. He knew  
  
they had the necessary information to be able to find him.  
  
There was a second of silence, then the voice of Lt. Welsh. "They're  
  
on their way, Detective. Try to stay on the line. Don't hang up if  
  
you can help it."  
  
"Can't breathe. . ." Ray managed.  
  
He fought the unconsciousness for as long as he could, but there came  
  
a point where he simply couldn't any longer. Everything around him  
  
was disintegrating into a confusing mass of dim sights,  
  
indistinguishable sounds and the unrelenting pain that was now so  
  
intense that he wanted to pass out. After a second more, the  
  
darkness surrounded him and he slipped into the relief of  
  
unconsciousness. 


	8. The Borderlands

Ray was surprised to find himself falling, surrounded by seeming  
  
nothingness. After a moment, he landed with a thump on what seemed to  
  
be a hard surface. At first he was a bit dazed, but it didn't take  
  
long for him to realize it was pavement he was lying on. As he stood  
  
up, shapes started to emerge from the darkness. Buildings. A  
  
cityscape. It looked like Chicago, but somehow at the same time it  
  
didn't. Strangely, there were no other people or even any cars in  
  
sight . There was snow on the ground and on the buildings, mailboxes  
  
and fire hydrants, but despite the apparent wintery setting,  
  
however, Ray felt no cold. All around him was silence and emptiness.  
  
There were lit streetlamps on some of the corners but it still seemed  
  
quite dark.  
  
Ray looked down and realized that where there should have been a  
  
bloody wound, there was only healthy skin. And he didn't feel any  
  
pain anymore. He looked at the unfamiliar area around him and was  
  
about to start running when he heard a voice.  
  
"Ray!"  
  
He looked around.  
  
"Ray, behind you."  
  
Ray turned around to see Fraser, dressed, as before, in his red serge  
  
uniform.  
  
"What's going on?" Ray asked. "Where am I?"  
  
" The borderlands, Ray."  
  
Ray gave Fraser a confused expression. "I'm dead, aren't I?"  
  
"No, not technically. You're in a kind of in between life and death."  
  
The Mountie looked around. "Though I belive it's changed quite a bit  
  
since I was here. Last time I saw a vast forest, with trees all  
  
around. I guess each of us sees what he or she wants to see."  
  
"I don't have to stay here, do I?" Ray asked.  
  
"That's your decision, Ray. No one can make it for you."  
  
"If it's a choice thing, then why did you stay?"  
  
"Well, most of the time it's a choice. In my case, my earthly body  
  
was too badly damaged to continue supporting me. I didn't really  
  
have a choice."  
  
Ray pondered this for a moment. Fraser started to walk, and Ray  
  
followed him curiously. "Actually, y'know, I'm not sure if I do want  
  
to go back. I mean, this recovery thing, it's gonna hurt a lot,  
  
isn't it?"  
  
"Well, it does at times." Fraser answered. " It is a long and  
  
difficult thing, and painful at times, but I would have to say it's  
  
worth it."  
  
"And I'm worried about Bower. I've got a feeling that when he finds  
  
out I'm alive he'll try to kill me again."  
  
"Like I told you, Ray, it's entirely up to you whether you go back or  
  
not."  
  
Ray was silent as they continued to walk, as if pondering what had  
  
been said.  
  
"Where are we going anyway?" he asked after a while.  
  
"You'll see," Fraser answered.  
  
"Fraser, I don't like surprises, especially at a time like this."  
  
Ray's question was soon answered, as they came to an apartment  
  
building. Something about it looked familiar to Ray, but he couldn't  
  
quite place it. Fraser opened the door and they climbed the stairs.  
  
They stepped out into a hallway, and stopped in front of an  
  
apartment. Something about the hallway and the apartment itself  
  
reminded Ray of his apartment, but at the same time there was a  
  
feeling of unfamiliarity about it.  
  
"What's this?" Ray asked.  
  
"The threshold to the next world," Fraser answered. "If you cross it,  
  
there's no turning back."  
  
Ray stepped back from the door. "I don't think I'm going to do it.  
  
I know I'll have a lot to face down there, but I'm not ready to stay  
  
here. At least not yet. I mean, I did make you a promise. I gotta  
  
catch this guy before he kills Vecchio or anyone else. "  
  
"It would seem that you have some unfulfilled obligations" Fraser  
  
said thoughtfully. "But again, it's your choice. "  
  
"Yeah, it would." Ray answered.  
  
  
  
Ray studied the Mountie for a long moment. "Will I see you again? I  
  
mean, before I die."  
  
"I don't know, Ray, maybe. I don't know very much more about this  
  
than you do."  
  
"I guess this is goodbye…I hope not permanently, though."  
  
Fraser extended a hand, and Ray shook it. Before he could say or do  
  
anything, however, everything seemed to slowly begin to  
  
disintegrate. A few seconds later, darkness once more surrounded  
  
Ray. He felt as if he were falling but saw nothing below him.  
  
Suddenly, a bright light seemed to come from below him. He screamed  
  
as it enveloped him and after a second, felt what seemed to be the  
  
thump of landing. Almost immediately, he once again felt pain, and  
  
his mind was flooded with a mass of confusing sensations. 


End file.
